For the World is Full of Dreams
by Nebethut
Summary: This is the story of a young elf of Evermeet. Hard to put into words, really. A new version of chapter 1 and a second chapter are up! R&R please!
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

Author's notes: I want to thank my betas (thank you, Brandi and Claire!) for their wonderful work and help with this.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters are mine - aside from the mentioning of names known in the Forgotten Realms - the story is mine but everything else belongs to other people, namely WotC and such. They could try to sue me for using this world of theirs but they wouldn't get much out of it - I am but a student and as that chronically broke anyway. ;)  
  
Now on with the story, I hope you'll enjoy it.  
  
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Chapter 1 - Beginnings  
  
Aquiel Delmian sat in her room in her parent's house, surrounded by books. The gold elf looked out of her window, pinned a strand of her over hip long, fiery copper coloured hair behind her ear and sighed. The sun was shining and she could hear the usual bustle of the streets of Leuthilspar.  
  
Her father had insisted that she stayed at home to study. "Your skills at the art of magic could be far greater at your age, Aquiel", Meranio Delmian had said. "You should spend more of your time studying than conversing with travellers in the taverns!"  
  
Aquiel sighed again. What her father couldn't understand was that Aquiel had not inherited her parents love for this so-called art. She could not muster the needed discipline and patience. Damn it, she could hardly sit still at this moment when there might be so many fascinating tales to hear about the world outside of Evermeet. Another sigh escaped her lips. In all of her 48 years she had never been outside of Evermeet - the ever-boring Evermeet - and had never seen any races other than elves but heard so much of them. A lot of that she had learned from her own mother, who had lived part of her life in the world that existed around this island.  
  
Aquiel looked at the books again. *To the nine hells with this!* she thought, her green eyes sparkling with defiance, and stood up. She locked her door - just in case anyone might try to check on her - and then opened her window. She looked to the street; it was quite a climb down. But it wasn't the first time she had taken this route out of her room. She stepped out onto the windowsill and carefully moved to the left where the rough wall of the house was climbable due to ranks that had grown up the wall. She made her way down without any problems. A few of the people walking by gave her curious looks but Aquiel just smiled at them and made her way through the crowd.  
  
It was noon and the streets were busy as always around this time. Commoners were running errands, buying groceries, flowers and wine and carrying them back to their lord's homes. Nobles were going for a walk, the ladies often stopping at one shop window or another, looking for something special for the upcoming midsummer solstice festival. Young lovers were walking the streets arm in arm not really seeing anything but each other. To Aquiel this was the most beautiful time of the year in Leuthilspar. Flowers were in bloom everywhere, the trees were bright and tall, birds were singing and every house seemed to be glowing in the sun.  
  
Soon Aquiel arrived at her destination, the one place she always headed to first when she went out, a small temple of Hanali Celanil. This was her favorite place; to her the most beautiful spot in the city. Even more so than the palace with it's simple elegance and beauty. She entered the garden, the bellflowers playing their melodious song as she walked by and walked to a fountain with a radiant golden statue depicting Lady Goldheart. Smiling, Aquiel bowed to the statue and sat on a bench by the fountain. How beautiful it was here and how peaceful it always seemed. And how free she felt whenever she came to visit this shrine!  
  
A hand was placed on her shoulder and Aquiel did not need to turn around to know who it was. "Have you fled your home again, Aquiel?" said the warm and amused voice of Lerian. "You know, your father will not be pleased when he finds out that you have vanished yet another time." Aquiel laughed and threw the man a mischievous, twinkling look. "If he finds out."  
  
"You know that I cannot approve of your way to leave your family's house." Lerian answered in a suddenly stern voice as he sat down beside her. She was still grinning at him, seemingly unworried. Lerian knew that she indeed was unworried. As he looked into her young, sparkling and still somewhat naive eyes, he couldn't hold his serious facade. A smile broke out over his smooth face and blue eyes lighted up. "However, I always do enjoy your visits, my dear." He chuckled and drew her into a hug.  
  
Lerian, a blond sun elf himself, had been Aquiel's friend for most of her life. Ever since she had been a little girl and had gotten lost in the busy city that was Leuthilspar, out alone on her very first 'adventure' - of course without her family's knowledge. After hours of walking around in the city, trying to find the way back to her home, she had come to this little temple of Hanali Celanil. She had sat down upon this very bench, looked upon the statue and right then she had known everything would be alright and that she needn't worry. She had lain down and, being completely exhausted, had fallen asleep right away. The first thing she noticed when she woke was that she was lying in a soft and warm bed instead of the bench in the garden. She had opened her eyes and had looked into the friendly and slightly amused face of a priest - Lerian. He had found the girl in the garden and carried her inside into his own chambers, waiting for her to wake up. He had given her something to eat and they had talked for a while before Lerian had accompanied her back home. Her mother had been very glad to find her daughter returned, her father however had been furious but Lerian had done his very best to calm him down. She had been just a child after all and children were known to do such things from time to time. Aquiel smiled at this memory. She had known then, instinctively, that she could always rely on Lerian when she got herself into trouble. He was always there for her and she was glad to have a friend like him.  
  
"A hundred years have past and you haven't changed one bit, Lerian!" came a voice from behind, startling the two. They turned around and Aquiel saw a beautiful moon Elven woman, with black shoulder length hair, who grinned widely at the priest as she moved toward him. Lerian stood and rushed to her  
  
"El'uriel!" he cried out as he took her into his arms and swirled her around. The woman held on to him and giggled all the while. "So, you finally made it to our peaceful island." Lerian said as he set El'uriel down again. She cocked her head and grinned at him mischievously. "Well, let's see how long this island will stay peaceful." She answered, her blue eyes sparkling. Her gaze turned to Aquiel. She moved a step back from Lerian, placing her hands on her hips. "Where are your manners, Lerian? Won't you introduce me to your friend?"  
  
Lerian shook his head and chuckled. "Of course I will." He held his hand out to Aquiel and bade her to come to him, which she did. "El'uriel, this is Aquiel Delmian. Aquiel, this is my old friend El'uriel who manages to be even more of a troublemaker than you." He said with a smirk.  
  
"Oh, thank you for the compliment!" El'uriel laughed, obviously unhurt by the comment. She bowed her head to Aquiel in a greeting. "Well met, Aquiel Delmian. It is always a pleasure to meet a kindred soul."  
  
Aquiel bowed her head in return. "Well met, El'uriel. For me it is always a pleasure to meet an old friend of Lerian. Although, I have to admit that you are the first and Lerian has never spoken of you. In fact, he has never spoken about his past to me." She threw a glance at Lerian who just smiled his usual warm smile. She had often asked him to tell her tales of his former life before he came to Evermeet. The only thing she had managed to find out about his past, that he had come to the island a century ago.  
  
El'uriel raised her eyebrows but still grinned - her face never seemed short of some sort of smile - and turned to glance at Lerian. "No? Well then, I guess I will have to do that - while you two show me this city of yours and especially a good inn."  
  
"I fear I will have to decline, my dear friend." The priest interjected. "I have duties that I need to fulfill here at the temple. But I would gladly share a meal with you this night, if you would like."  
  
"Would like?!" El'uriel's eyes widened in disbelieve. "I haven't seen you in a century - of course I 'would like' to eat with you, you fool!" She hugged him again and then Lerian bowed his head to the two women and left them alone. El'uriel and Aquiel looked at each other for a moment. Aquiel truly liked this woman. She was so unlike most of the other elves that lived here, not at all settled and boring but bursting with energy and - and something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.  
  
El'uriel linked her arm with Aquiel's. "Well then, show me around, Aquiel." 


	2. Chapter 2: Potential

Author's notes: Nothing new to say really. Again I want to thank my betas (thank you, Brandi and Claire!) for their wonderful work and help with this.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters are mine - aside from the mentioning of names known in the Forgotten Realms - the story is mine but everything else belongs to other people, namely WotC and such. They could try to sue me for using this world of theirs but they wouldn't get much out of it - I am but a student and as that chronically broke anyway. ;)  
  
Now on with the story once again. Still hoping you'll enjoy it. ;)  
  
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Chapter 2 - Potential  
  
After El'uriel had taken a room in one of Leuthilspar's inns, she and Aquiel made their way through the city. They walked by Leuthilspar's harbour, although El'uriel had already seen this when she had arrived. It was a beautiful sight with the many elven ships in the water, their crews already starting to decorate them for the midsummer festival. Aquiel showed El'uriel the temples in the city, the grandest of them being the one devoted to Corellon Larethian; a huge building of yellow marble and gold. Sehanine Moonbow's temple was much smaller, but to El'uriel much more beautiful with its pearled white walls and silver doors. "It mirrors the goddess that lives here" she said and bowed. They passed many of the city's other 'attractions', among them the palace in which Queen Amlaruil ruled, with its huge gardens filled with bellflowers and blue roses - the symbol of the Moonflower clan. But neither of the two really paid much attention to the city around them. They talked all the while, Aquiel asking and El'uriel happily answering all her questions.  
  
El'uriel and Lerian had been part of an adventuring company called The Four Winds before Lerian came to Evermeet. He had been the company's cleric, healing his companions and - according to El'uriel - annoying them with his praisings of Hanali Celanil whenever he saw something of great beauty which might just be the next sunrise.  
  
"And what about you?" Aquiel asked.  
  
"Me?" El'uriel grinned slyly. "Well, I was the one they sent forth whenever there was a door they didn't have a key for, whenever there was a building someone had to sneak into."  
  
Aquiel stopped in her tracks and looked incredulously at El'uriel. "You mean, you are a thief?!"  
  
El'uriel laughed. "I do have the skills a thief would possess, yes. If you think that alone makes one out of me then so be it. I have my own code of morals however. I do not steal to gain wealth. In fact, I would say that I do not steal at all. I do however help people finding things that have gotten lost or were unjustifiedly taken from them." El'uriel looked Aquiel straight in her eyes, the warmth and friendlieness not the least bit diminished. "Do you think I am wrong?"  
  
Aquiel thought about this for a moment. A puzzled expression came over her face. "I really don't know." she answered hesitantly after a while.  
  
El'uriel continued to smile. *A bit naive, the young one. But the world will teach her whatever she must know.* she thought to herself. In truth she envied Aquiel; she seemed to have lived a peaceful and protected life so far without experiencing the terrible things life could sometimes force upon its subjects. Not yet...  
  
"You don't have to know now, Aquiel. You have all the time in the world to find out what you believe in. Don't let anyone ever make up your mind for you."  
  
They let it be at this and walked on much as before, El'uriel continuing to answer Aquiel's questions. The sun finally dipped low over the horizon and El'uriel realized how hungry she was.  
  
"It is getting late, I suppose I should meet with Lerian for the evening meal." El'uriel said. "I will gladly accompany you home first, however."  
  
Aquiel gasped in shock. "Evening meal?! Oh damn, it's already that late? I have to hurry home!" With that she started to run through the streets, trying not to topple anyone. Many people had to leap out of her way and El'uriel did her very best to keep up with her.  
  
"Why? What is the matter?" she managed to call out.  
  
"I have to get home before anyone notices I am gone! I did not realize it was already this late, damn my absent mind!"  
  
They reached Aquiel's home soon after and made their way to the side of building Aquiel had climbed down those many hours before. Aquiel started to climb up but then changed her mind, jumped back down and quickly hugged El'uriel. "I had a wonderful afternoon, thank you! I hope, I will be able to spend more time with you soon."  
  
"You surely will, I plan to stay for a while." El'uriel answered as Aquiel started to climb up again. El'uriel watched her climb and marveled at the ease with which Aquiel mastered a climb that would've proved more difficult to many. *So, she sneaked out of her own home?* El'uriel smirked at this thought. *There is potential in that one...*  
  
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Aquiel quickly climbed through the window into her room - and immediately noticed that she was too late. Meranio sat on her bed, surrounded by her discarded spellbooks with a disapproving scowl on his face.  
  
"I am glad you made it back in time for the evening meal - this time." He leveled his stern gaze upon her. Aquiel only offered a weak smile. Obviously, locking her door had not helped to keep him out and from realizing she was gone. She made a mental note that she would have to find a more effective way for the future.  
  
"I believe I asked you to study, Aquiel." Aquiel almost laughed out loud at this. *Yes, the same way a General 'asks' his troops to strike...* She knew though, that her sarcasm wouldn't get her very far with her father. She had tried before. Meranio seemed to be a bit lacking in humor.  
  
"I did study, father." *For about 10 minutes* she added in her mind. "But it was such a beautiful day and I needed to feel the sun on my face for a while. I just couldn't stay inside."  
  
"Aquiel, how will you ever become a mage if you do not study?" Aquiel let out a sigh of frustration and turned her back to her father. She didn't want to be a thrice-be-damned spellcaster! Why couldn't he just accept that? "The Towers of the Sun and the Moon will never take you in to train you, if you do not show some potential and devotion! The first half century of your life is almost past and look at what have you accomplished? Nothing! Your sister and brother were already well into their training at the Towers at your age!"  
  
Meranio took Aquiel by the shoulders and turned her around so she would have to look at him. "You need to develop some discipline, you cannot just live out your life like this, without a purpose. No elf of any of the noble families will ever wish to take you as his bride, if you do not-" Aquiel gasped and tore herself free from her fathers hold. "Bride?!" she screamed out. "I have not yet reached the end of my first century and already you are thinking of marrying me off to some arrogant, stuck-up brat?! Magic and politics, that's all you can think about, isn't it?!"  
  
Meranio sighed and turned around to leave. "We will continue this talk when you are in a more sensible mood. Stay in your room for now. You have much learning and thinking to do. I will have your meal brought to you." He walked to the door but then hesitated a moment and turned around again. He looked to the open window and started speaking the words and forming the gestures of a simple spell. The window closed and Aquiel knew, without having to test it, that she would not be able to open it.  
  
"For your own good." was all Meranio said and he left the room closing the door behind him. Aquiel heard a key turning in the lock.  
  
"Wonderful." she said and threw herself on her bed.  
  
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In the hall outside of Aquiel's room Meranio came upon Ineya, his wife. As he looked at her, he again saw how much Aquiel looked like her - she was a bit taller. Ineya reaching only 5 feet and Aquiel just over 5 and a half. They both had the same long, fiery hair, mischievous smile and the same bright green eyes. And they had much the same spirit, Meranio had to admit. Though Ineya possessed a high talent in the Art, she was ever curious and hardly sat still. She was a sorceress and had a strong innate connection to the weave, much stronger than a mage would ever achieve, and didn't need to be as disciplined as others.  
  
At the moment Ineya simply watched him, her eyes looking deeply into him. Of course, she had heard Aquiel's outburst - there was no one in this house who had not - and knew that it had come to another conflict between her and Meranio. He knew she did not approve of what he had said and done, that she thought he was trying too hard to make Aquiel become a mage. He knew she thought he should let Aquiel's spirit roam freely and find her own place in this world. But she did not say a word for she also knew that she did not have to.  
  
He looked down, as he could not bear to look into her eyes now. *Maybe she is right afterall.* he pondered, but it was only a fleeting thought. He only wanted Aquiel's best, only wished her to become all that she could become and he worried for her because of her leisurely lifestyle. He could not stop trying, could not let go.  
  
After a few moments Ineya walked over to her beloved husband and reached out to touch his face. "I know." was all she said, as if she had read his thoughts, and led him away. 


End file.
